Instagram Posting Sizes and Dimensions: Story Posts vs In-Feed Profile Posts

If you’ve ever tried to upload a photo to Instagram and it mysteriously cropped off your forehead… or your flyer suddenly looks blurry even though it looked perfect on your phone… this post is for you. Whether you're a client of IAC Media, a small business owner, a creator, or a “my friend asked me to post this flyer” type of person — this is your cheat sheet.

I always tell my clients, a big pet peeve is reposting profile posts or square posts to their story, or any mobile version posting like Youtube Shorts, Tiktoks, etc.

Say you want to create highlights for your Instagram, the dimensions you need to use are different from when you want to make a carousel post in Instagram for a content dump.

TOP 3 SIZES TO KNOW

IG Story or IG Reel

This is a mobile view, with dimensions of 1080 px x 1920 pixels or a ratio of 9:16.

IG Portrait Profile Post

This is a rectangle / portrait style post with dimensions of 1080 px x 1350 px or ratio 4:5.

IG Profile Square Post

The OG size for posts, square with dimensions 1080 px x 1080 px or ratio 1:1.

ALL PROFILE POSTS.

A. Square Instagram Post

Size: 1080 × 1080 px Ratio: 1:1

Use this for:

• Quotes

• Product shots

• Sale announcements

• Brand graphics

Why:

Classic, centered, never cropped weirdly.

B. Portrait Instagram Post

Size: 1080 × 1350 px Ratio: 4:5

Use this for:

• Aesthetic lifestyle photos

• Flyers with a lot of information

• Anything you want to appear larger on the feed

Takes up the most feed real estate. Best for engagement.

C. Landscape Post (Wide Photo / Clips)

Size: 1080 × 566 px Ratio: 1.91:1

Use this for:

• Cinematic photos

• Wide shots

• Videos exported in horizontal format

Note:

Least used now, but still relevant.

✔ Always design or export in 1080 px width minimum✔ Use platform-specific ratios✔ In Canva — choose the correct template from the start✔ If resizing, check that nothing moves, shifts, or gets cropped

05. The “What Size Do I Use?” Cheat Sheet

Use this table for instant reference:

Format	Size	Ratio	Best For
Square Post	1080×1080	1:1	Quotes, promos, product shots
Portrait Post	1080×1350	4:5	Flyers, lifestyle, brand graphics
Landscape	1080×566	1.91:1	Cinematic shots, wide photos
Story	1080×1920	9:16	Announcements, ads, polls, links
Reel	1080×1920	9:16	Vertical video content

06. How to Choose the Right Size for Flyers

For clients specifically (like Ebun asking “what is post size?”):

If the flyer is meant for the Instagram Feed

➡️ 1080 × 1350 px

If it’s meant for Stories & Full Screen

➡️ 1080 × 1920 px

If you want the same flyer in multiple formats

➡️ Duplicate → Resize → Adjust text for each layout

No cropping. No quality loss. No confusion.

08. Final Note: Your Graphics Speak Before You Do

Good design isn’t just about aesthetic — it’s about clarity, readability, and making sure your brand lands the way you intend.

When your dimensions are correct:

• Your message hits

• Your brand looks intentional

• Engagement improves

• You save time, money, and stress

If you ever need graphics resized, optimized, or fully branded — IACMedia.co is here for you.